


From's to Love's

by ArrowheadProductions



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Background young justice stuff, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Coming of Age, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, I had it all as one big one shot by split it up into chapters bc it was giving me ocd, I know on this show Dick and Babs are supposed to be the same age but I gave her a year boost, I'm not even sorry about it, In my head Wally and Jason both return to us okay, Jealousy, Literally this probably could be T rated its so light, Long ass fic, Love Confessions, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Partners in Fighting Crime, Pre and Post Invasion, Spoilers for Season 2, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Through the Years, Time Jump, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, fear of the unknown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 23:13:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13691844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArrowheadProductions/pseuds/ArrowheadProductions
Summary: The development of Dick and Barbara's relationship as shown through the Valentine's Days they experience together, dating back to when they were just children to where they are now.





	1. We're Going to be Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This turned out soooooooo much longer than expected, but look! It's also a playlist!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 11 & 12 is their first Valentine's Day together and both are happy they have someone to enjoy it with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "We're Going to be Friends" by the White Stripes

 

 _"And we don't notice any time pass_  
_We don't notice anything_  
_We sit side by side in every class_  
_Teacher thinks that I sound funny_  
_But she likes the way you sing"_

Everyone gave out valentines at that age so it wasn't anything special. Even the two of them, who weren't exactly popular with suitors like their more physically developed peers. Her with her braces and the thick-framed glasses she wore when she read and him with his ears that he hadn't grown into and being about half a foot shorter than the other boys. Still, they gave them to each other in person instead of sticking it in the cubbies that were required for the day. 

His voice was high and both were quite skinny, though he was admittedly much more so than her. No one believed her when she told them he ate a truck-size amount of food every day at lunch. Her hair was routinely up in a high and neat ponytail while his was slicked and gelled by an insistent Alfred that Dick had to look fresh every day. Dick didn't see why. Who was he trying to impress?

They were still in that delightfully youthful phase where the theme of valentine's day was handing out funny cartoon-themed cards that were bought in bulk with usually a piece of candy attached. They were short and usually generic unless the two exchangers were close friends or secret crushes. Nobody was really in full swing of dating yet so there was no pressure. 

They exchanged cards at the lunch table they shared- alone, but together. He never thought he would like that as much as he did, but he kind of liked having her whole attention for those 30 minutes every day. He could watch her intense fascination over computers and books for hours, if he was honest, and could talk about their shared interest in gymnastics and acrobatics forever. After his parents died, he didn't expect to be comfortable in routine ever again, but it always helped to have a friend. 

As he opened the Star Wars card she'd handed him, he smiled as he noticed an inscription on the bottom. While everyone surely got valentines from her as per requirement, only a limited audience likely got a personalized message. He released a breath of relief that he wasn't stupid to write his own message on hers. He was even more delighted to discover the similarities in what they'd said. 

_Dick,_

_So glad you came to Gotham Academy and that we became friends._

_Us misfits have to stick together._

_Happy Valentine's Day!_

_From,_

_Babs_

 

_Babs,_

_Happy V-Day!_

_Thank you for making my life easier here._

_I'm so glad to have you as my friend._

_From,_

_Dick_

She grinned at hers too, making a snarky comment about his choice in Scooby Doo valentines, but she loved it all the same. She knew he picked Daphne for her because of the hair and thought about questioning if he like redheads, but thought better of it due to the underlying implications of such a question. She loved the ease of their friendship and the way being around him made her feel a little reckless and what baffled her even more was how much she enjoyed that sensation.

Her being an entire year and some change older than him made her more acutely aware of the implications the immature public tended to form about male and female friendships. 12 year olds, unlike 11 year olds, were bursting at the seams from the lethal collision of hormones and awkwardness. While she didn't see her relationship with Dick as more than friendship (and didn't understand why that would devalue it in any way), she knew other people in her grade would whisper otherwise.

Their friendship was one for the books and she knew it. She was smarter than most people in her grade the grades ahead of her as well. She wasn't an Oracle, but she could see their future quite clear. To her, they'd be wrestling each other forever and wagering cookies over bets. Maybe it was childish, but they were children and that was more than okay to her.

As she met the shameless gaze of the skinny little boy she called a best friend and thought about how much better they both were since they knew each other, she mentally waved off the onlookers.

She tied up her dark red hair into a ponytail and smiled before letting it loose. The very first thing he ever said to her was that he liked her hair, because it reminded him of warmth and it was Valentine’s Day. If there was ever a day to feel warm, it was this one.

Let them whisper. Let them shout, even. She didn't care.

 


	2. I'll Be There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 12 & 13 brings the fact that they're best friends and their loyalty runs deep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "I'll Be There" by Jackson 5

_"I'll reach out my hand to you_   
_I'll have faith in all you do_   
_Just call my name and I'll be there."_

There wasn't much development in the current of their relationship between the year. They were still the gawky outcasts that were either ignored or picked on by those with higher standing than the "Orphan" and "Scholarship" who deserved each other. Dick agreed that they did deserve each other, because he didn't really feel like he needed anyone else if he had his brazen best friend who relentlessly stood tall in spite of the cruel words tossed around about her. He aimed to be like that, to not care what other people thought, or to be better because of it. 

He was substantially smaller than everyone in his grade. Babs was always taller than him, though, which suited him when something was out of reach. She'd playfully pat the top of his gelled head before obliging and handing him the desired object. He would laugh and tease her about how he was going to tower over her one day. Either way, it was important that one of them remained taller than the other in case things kept getting stacked somewhere. He wished he could tell her about all of the cool stunts he did at night and let her know what he was capable of in his alter ego, that he could use a grappling to reach heights neither had ever imagined possible. 

He had a friend named Wally, who was also a superhero. He was the sidekick to a superhero known to Central City as "The Flash" and could move faster than light, which was also incredibly useful. He also had a friend named Roy, an archer and sidekick to another archer named "Green Arrow". It was nice to have people to swap war stories with, but he wished he could let his worlds collide a little bit. Neither knew Dick's secret identity as per Bruce's orders, but that didn't stop him from talking about his other best friend who he tenderly referred to as "Babs". He wished he could tell her about Roy and Wally, to let her know she didn't have to worry about him being lonely like he knew she did. 

She had her gymnastics team, which was set to go Olympic level if they kept going like they were. He loved watching her perform. It reminded him of his time in the circus except more controlled. She looked angelic as she flew through the air with perfect poise and grace. She seemed to like flying just as much as he did and more than anything did he yearn to tell her about his experiences too, that he wasn't just taking dance lessons like he'd told her. He was, in case she ever asked, but he wanted her to know all of it.

He was excited to give her his card this year, deeming it absolutely adorable. He'd been talking about picking out the best one with Roy and Wally while the older boys teased him that he was a little young to have a girlfriend. They didn't get it and they didn't know Babs. As he walked with his card under his arm on his way to lunch, he was swiftly clotheslined by the big meaty arm of a familiar bully, who Dick knew (thanks to Robin) to be the youngest child in the Falcone family.

"What do we have here?" He sneered as he tore the card from Dick's hands before he could even hit the ground.

What was even more frustrating, was that he couldn't react like he would as Robin. He couldn't show that he was a good fighter that could take this bully down with the swift kick of the leg. Instead, he essentially had to take it and get his aggression out at night as Robin on the various thugs they brought to the light of justice. He hated that part and found himself suffering more bruises from school than he did from patrol with Batman there to assist.

Everyone gathered around in a crowd, ready to watch the newest feeding session of the big animal that somehow gained popularity. 

He cackled as he showed the entire group of onlookers the little card with cartoon cookies and milk that were hugging.

"You are the cookies to my milk." He read in a high pitched voice that supposed to mimic Dick's, but Falcone's voice was still too burly and deep to accomplish such a feat.

The crowd roared and Butch Falcone continued, fluttering his eyelashes for effect, eliciting more chuckles and whistles from his peers. "Wait, wait, there's more!"

Everyone cheered in expectation as Dick stared helplessly up at him.

_Babs,_

_You're the best friend a guy could have. I know stats aren't on our side,_

_but I really think we'll be friends forever._

_Happy Valentine's Day!_

_From,_

_Dick_

Dick's main problem was that while he couldn't fight like Robin at school, his mouth never followed suit.

"I'm just amazed you can read, Butch." He returned haughtily.

Everyone "oohed" as most middle school-aged children would be expected to in a way that always elicited a response from the stereotypical bully that never looked good for the future victim. At an agonizing pace, he latched his big mitt on the front of Dick's collared shirt and slowly lifted him into the air so he was above him. He wasn't even breaking a sweat in his ministration and all Dick could think about was the various ways he could free himself from this if he were Robin.

"What did you say to me, you little shit?"

Barbara was just on her way to lunch, her own card in her back pocket ready for Dick. She was distracted by the presence of a very obvious and thick crowd that never meant anything promising for someone. Quickly, she approached it too, but not for the gawking reasons of her classmates. She hated public displays of superiority, particularly when they got physical, and she was not afraid to utilize the martial arts her Father had made her take since she was just a little girl. 

There was also the matter that she knew deep in her bones that this was somehow relating to Dick. She cared very much about her best friend and admired his refusal to back down from fear, but he wasn't always thoughtful in his timing. He was bold and brave, but didn't have the girth or strength to have follow through. He was still all limbs and they were not ringed with bulk like some of the premature meatheads at their school. She knew he could do flips and cartwheels like no other, but that wouldn't get him out of a dangerous showdown against the bullies in their school.

Sure enough, as Butch Falcone read what she presumed was Dick's valentine out loud, there her raven-haired friend sat in a helpless pile on the ground. She tried her best to shove through the crowd, earning her fair share of glares and mumbled insults about her looks or how bossy she could be. She didn't give a damn. She'd had her fight or flight instincts turned on and maybe if it were just concerning her, she's run, but her friend needed her.

As he lifted Dick above his head like he was nothing more than a frail injured bird, her eyes widened and the straw broke the camel's back.

"Drop him!" She hollered over the rage of the crowd.

He turned about as swiftly as a fat thumb of a person could turn, first afraid he'd been caught by a teacher. It would not be the first time Barbara was compared to one, because she did have an exceptional authoritarian voice. Even Dick seemed to think she was a teacher, because he'd relaxed a bit and tensed right back up when he realized it was her, shooting her daggers not to intervene at risk of her own personal safety.

She gave me a knowing look in return that she hoped conveyed, "Admiral, _Grayson, but I am not going to let you get your ass beat in front of the whole school_ ".

Butch's fear immediately evaporated into mocking. "Oh, look, Dickie! It's your knight in shining mouth gear here to save the princess."

"Just because you're the size of a dragon, doesn't make me a princess."

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're not helping."

"He stole my valentine!" He grumbled under his breath.

She returned her deadly glare to Butch. "You put him down right now."

"Or what? You gonna call Daddy?"

"Maybe I will." She crossed her arms over her sweater vest. 

He seemed to consider this for a moment before grinning. "You want me to put him down, Scholarship? I'll put him down."

She watched in horror as he threw Dick like he was lighter than paper across the hall and into the lockers. He was suspended in the air, but contrary to most people, it seemed like he almost thrived there. Like stunt work, he tucked himself in a ball and rolled. Surprisingly to everyone, including herself, he landed a bit disgruntled, but on his feet all the same with perfect poise. She would know. She was both a dancer and gymnast. 

Barbara released a held breath as she rushed over to him while the crowd dissipated at the instruction of a teacher that finally decided to wake up and intervene. She placed a hand on both of shoulders and analyzed him, trying to see if anything was out of place from her previous memories of him, to see if anything was knocked out of place. 

"Dick?"

"Hm?" He answered as he caught his bearings. 

"Did you just do a backflip in the air?"

"I told you I was in the circus."

"Right." She paused before slinging an arm around his shoulders while they walked in sync. "Well, I'm glad you're alive, because I needed to give you this."

He burst into that wonderful laugh as he looked at the card with a Jellyfish on the front that said "If you were stung by a jellyfish, I'd pee on you". In response, he playfully poked her in the ribs, knowing from experience that she was very ticklish there.

_Dick,_

_You're always here for me through thick and thin,_

_and I'm not going anywhere._

_Try not to get us both killed someday._

_Happy V-Day,_

_~ Babs_


	3. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 13 & 14 means that puberty is beginning to set in and their closeness is brought under scrutiny from their hormonal peers all around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Thirteen" by Big Star

_"Rock 'n Roll is here to stay_  
Come inside where it's okay  
And I'll shake you."

She got her braces off shortly after she turned 14, stunning the eyes of many with a smile that hid under metal wiring and brackets for 2 long and gum-less years. Guys and girls noticed and she stopped being snootily referred to as "Scholarship" and she was even invited to parties and other social gatherings. Dick was elated for her since it was about time people began to see how great she was, even if he'd known it since the day he met her. It shouldn't have taken something so minuscule for people to open their eyes, but it was enough.

It seemed after she'd gotten her braces off, everything about her changed physically. She'd sprung taller, which added yet another person to the list that was half a foot taller than Dick. He silently wished she'd quit that part, even if he secretly liked it when she playfully leaned her arm on his head. She didn't tuck her hair up all of the time and instead wore it down so it flowed like a long, red silk curtain that cascaded past her shoulders. Even her uniforms were fitting differently and Dick hated himself for noticing and liking the difference, afraid she'd compare him to other boys that made her uncomfortable with their "pervy" stares and lewd comments.  

He pushed away the sharp twang he felt in his stomach when even the ninth grade boys took notice of her, not used to such an uncomfortable feeling coming as a result of his best friend receiving positive attention. He didn't like it. What he hated even more was how he couldn't stop himself from glancing in the mirror before going to school on Valentine's Day, disapprovingly staring at his ears, the way his uniform hung off of him, and how it seemed he would never edge above the 5 foot 1 mark on his doorframe. 

He didn't know what he was afraid of. She hadn't stopped sitting or talking to him even since she got her braces off, but he knew a lot of boys would be gunning for her today, despite having been the culprits of making fun of her just a few months before. He knew she waved off her newfound popularity with nonchalance and even annoyance, determined to not let fame change her or their friendship. 

They hadn't talked about doing valentines this year, but he did one just in case and unlike the previous years, he'd sat at his desk for a full hour thinking of what was the right thing to say. It suddenly really mattered what he put on paper and handed her. He wanted to say the right thing and make her smile, as it had always been so easy to do. He wasn't sure why things were harder even if they weren't and knew a good portion of it was in his head.

His hands were super sweaty when she approached him at lunch, smile in tote upon seeing him and he didn't know why it made him feel like he was soaring through the air as Robin, a feeling he was sure couldn't be replicated by anything else. He was happy to be wrong.

"I was afraid you'd forgotten about me." He teased nervously.

She gave him a look as if that was the most positively ridiculous thing he could have ever said and he felt relief and embarrassment flush his cheeks at the same time. From behind her back she pulled out a card in an envelope, not the stereotypical childish slices of cardboard they'd been using before. He was glad they both made the same move. After all, now that it wasn't required to partake in Valentine's Day, it made sense to only get cards for the people you cared about and to make it worth it.

She slid it across the table and his hand brushed hers during the exchange. She didn't give any indication of noticing. He tried to pretend he was reading the pre-made text on the inside, but he couldn't help jumping write to the neat and clean cursive written in her distinct handwriting. 

_Dick,_

_Thank you for always seeing me when everyone else didn't,_

_and for seeing the right things._

_I need you to know that I see you too and always will._

_Happy Valentine's Day!!_

_~ Babs_

He felt his body unwind altogether and release another deep sigh as he placed the card down. Nothing had changed, not really, and he wasn't sure why he thought it would. However, that was a different thought for a different day.

"All right, Grayson, are you holding out on me?" She cocked any eyebrow at him.

He snapped into realization that he hadn't given hers either and quickly grabbed his card for her (wiping his hands off on his pants first) and gave it to her, not flinching this time when her warm hand touched his. 

_Babs,_

_They don't know what they're talking about,_

_because you've always been awesome and I have no doubt that you always will be._

_Happy Valentine's Day!_

_From,_

_Dick_

Maybe it was the weeks of unwanted attention that was thrust upon her from the stupid removal of her stupid braces or the self-consciousness that was a newer and louder voice in her mind, but it felt like her heart exploded. It seemed everything had been changing and with that change, she struggled to grapple onto some stability. Sure, they would grow and there would likely be some change in that growth, but she realized then that she would always have him and somehow, she could tell he was thinking the same for her.

She was always observant and noticed his new tendency to stand with his posture as aligned and straight as possible to reach maximum height or that he was trying to grow his hair out a bit to cover his ears. To her, he looked perfectly fine and sounded just the same even with a voice that occasionally creaked. She was decent enough never to say anything about it the same way he refrained from ogling at her chest like many others. 

He had so many other features that would offset any "flaws" anyway. He had a smile that was dimpled and sometimes blinding when shown in the right moment. His hair, despite occasionally unruly, was dark with thick waves that indicated a promise that he would never go bald. In her observations of him, she always lingered on his eyes the longest, deciding she liked them the best. They were bright blue and despite the horrors he'd witnessed so early in life, they were filled with such kindness and hope that she always had trouble being skeptical when he looked straight at her. 

Without thinking or consideration, which was a big deal for her, she leaned her whole body over the table and planted a firm kiss on his cheek before pulling back as quickly as she'd gotten there. He flushed immediately and blubbered on about something irrelevant, clearly trying desperately to bring the conversation away from what she just did, even if it made him stupidly grin from ear to ear, but she was too happy to be embarrassed by the surrounding chorus of "oohs" and "ahhs" that suddenly paid close attention to them.

If she had him and he believed they would be okay, she knew that everything would be fine. After school, they would race each other to the point where their paths diverged and he would inevitably try to tackle her, resulting in her lifting him as she'd always been able to. They would laugh like that for a while and forget about the outside pressures of valentines and love and just be together as they knew how to be.


	4. Accidentally in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 14 & 15 marks fear and realization that there's more beneath their comfortable surface of friendship that neither are comfortable dealing with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Accidentally in Love" by Counting Crows

_"How much longer will it take to cure this_  
_Just to cure it cause I can't ignore it if it's love_  
_Makes me want to turn around and face me but I don't know nothing 'bout love"_

The true meaning of Valentine's Day was in full swing with couples being overtly sappy and the social media age being of no aid to those trying to avoid the plague of sappy puppy love that absorbed everyone. Barbara was in ninth grade now, meaning she was at the upper level and they had separate lunches from the lower level "babies", which Dick was stuck being for an entire year without her. He was positive this would be his year of loneliness as a result of that, but the unlikely happened as he quickly made new friends to eat lunch with and hang out with in class. However, they weren't lost on time spent together after Barbara stumbled upon the truth of his secret identity back in late September. 

And now, as fate would have it, she was Batgirl and his two worlds made a lot more sense with his friend involved in both. If he thought she was beautiful before, she was absolutely mesmerizing as Batgirl. He got to fly with her just about every night and he knew by now that it wasn't just the adrenaline that pumped through his veins as they kicked ass together that left him euphoric. 

It had been a couple months since she kissed him during 7 minutes in heaven at his 14th birthday party and he couldn't stop thinking about it even if he wanted to. He made it clear she didn't have to, he'd been crushing on Bette Kane at the time anyway, but she did and when he asked why, she coyly replied,  _"Why do you think?"_

So since then, he couldn’t do anything  _but_  think about it.

 

And God, he played the memory over and over as if he were the one with the photographic memory and not her. He knew her well enough to recognize the sureness and calculation in her eyes, which perplexed him just before she'd lunged forward and kissed him, unlike the spontaneous kiss on the cheek she'd given him last Valentine's Day. She knew she was going to kiss him the moment the door shut behind them, maybe even before. She once told him she could calculate where a bottle would land in spin the bottle due to angles and motion and other terms he didn't fully comprehend.

Her lips were softer than anything he could remember and while the kiss wasn't long, she'd given him enough time to recover from initial shock and respond. He'd placed his hands ever so delicately on her waist, careful not to cross any boundaries even as she bulldozed over uncharted territory for them. He knew she'd had her first kiss at space camp when she was 10 with a boy he'd never know the face of, but always silently envied even if he couldn't always place the feeling. He wondered if that boy's mind went blank the way his did or whether he lost all consciousness of everything else in the entire world aside from what was happening in that moment? Did he remember the smell of her perfume or the soft citrus aroma of her hair? Did he appreciate the strawberry gloss she always wore?

Unlikely, since 10 years olds wouldn't. 

They always joked about dating to mock the whispering (and some not so whispering) voices that talked about their relationship status behind their back. He knew Barbara got flack for being older, but she never cared about that. Meanwhile, his ears perked up to it just about every time someone mentioned or teased about it, but tried desperately hard not to seem too eager. He found himself reading into a lot of the things she said or did without meaning to. Partially, because he was constantly curious whether she was feeling the things he was and partially because she was still the most captivating person he'd ever met.

They snuck away from their respective friend groups to meet on the blacktop during lunch and he couldn't help grinning when he saw her. She looked beautiful today as she did any given day. She stands with arms crossed and hip cocked, indicating she'd been waiting for him. Her plaid skirt and white button-up are neatly pressed and crisp like they always were. He used to roll his eyes at the stereotypical fantasy about Catholic school girl uniforms, but thanks to Gotham Academy, every guy had them realized just about every day and Dick was no exception with Babs hanging around. Long red hair almost shimmered in sunlight and he could tell she'd run her fingers through it quite a bit like she always did when she was nervous, which made him wonder if she had a test or something. Her mouth already telling a story before he can comment on it and he silently thanks her for it. 

"You'll never guess who asked me out." And by the drawl of her voice, it was not an accepted invitation to his quiet relief. A strand of hair flipped to the other side and he had half a mind to reach out and fix it. A few years ago, he might have with zero abandon. 

"Who?" He asked and began to unzip his backpack and dig for 1 of 2 cards. He had a system. If he decided it was time, he would present her with the card in the red envelope, which would basically spell out how he felt if she didn't already pick up on it. If not, the white was also a nice card, but would be much safer and less risky.

"Butch Falcone." She rolled her eyes.

Dick stiffened. "Seriously? How many times have you threatened to have him arrested?"

"Today he asked me if I had some spare handcuffs on the ready, so I guess that threat didn’t do much more than egg him on in the long run."

"What'd you say?" Barbara could handle herself before she was Batgirl, but now Dick almost felt pity for the people that scorned her. Almost, because every person wholeheartedly deserved it.

"That if I did, I'd use them for something much more pleasurable than having sex with him, like handcuffing myself to the back of a tractor trailer."

He laughed and she joined him. He always loved her laugh and it was so easy for her to make her laugh.

After a beat, he cocked an eyebrow playfully. "Well, do you?"

She shoved him, but her eyes sparkled. Flirting was a new element of their friendship that he hadn't seen coming and arrived as naturally as anything else. He was actually quite good at it. Perhaps being a performer made it easier. Either way, he liked the banter they developed and wouldn't change it for anything.

That's when it occurred to him. He wasn't afraid if she  _didn't_  like him back. That was something they could probably hurdle over like anything else. 

What if she did like him back? They couldn't go  _there_. He loved the ease of their relationship and the comfort they found in each other's presence even after the years that stacked behind them. He liked being able to go to her with anything and that she could do the same for him. He thought of times where they sat on his couch, chatting about gossip as Dick tried to impress her with stupid stunts or playing tag on rooftops on slow patrol nights. The idea that anything could spoil that crushed him. 

He hadn't intended on falling in love with her, which was too scary to even contemplate saying out loud in retrospect. He wasn't ready for that and neither was she. 

So, they weren't ready. Maybe they would be someday and he clung to that idea, but for now, he'd give her the white card.

"This is for you, my lady." He dramatically handed her the white envelope and she snatched it before he could finish his bit.

_Babs,_

_There isn't anyone in this world I would rather have it all with._

_You're my best friend,_

_My partner,_

_My constant._

_You mean the world to me,_

_and I wouldn't change a thing._

_Your friend,_

_Dick_

Barbara wasn’t an idiot.

She could see the other red card as he shuffled his bag quickly and scrambled to give her the white one. She also knew about the massive crush he had on Bette Kane a few months before up until he’d invited her to his party. However, after the party, he’d stopped talking about her altogether. There was no way he’d begun a relationship with Bette Kane without her knowing. Bette Kane had no idea Dick Grayson even existed, even after coming to “the richest kid in school’s” party. That was part of the reason Babs kissed him. Bette had planned to leave him high and dry on purpose if it landed on her, so Babs made sure that wouldn’t happen.

However, as it was happening, and mind you, it was truly meant to be a favor for a friend, the air changed altogether. She meant for it to be over as quick as it started, but she lingered, because she liked the feeling of his mouth slanting over hers. She didn’t have to bend really since he was sky-rocketing in height this year and it seemed his empty threats of being taller one day would come into actuality at some point. The hitch of his breath, the gentle touch of his hands on her waist, and the gentle pressure of his soft lips all transformed her motives in the span of moments. It made a lot of things clear and also raised a lot of questions she wasn’t ready to answer even for herself.

However, she owed him something when she separated, her eyes fluttering open just as his were.

 _“Um, wow, but uh, why?”_  She felt warmth spread across her chest as he blinked in confusion, eyes pure and soft, but his pupils were blown wide.

 _“Dick…”_  She trailed off in frustration, choosing to rest her forehead against his.  _“Why do you think?”_

She felt proud of herself in that moment, for saying something sufficient, while also not anything definite.

However, while Dick dodged embarrassment due to her thanks to her great act (which was a lot less sacrificial than she thought it would be), a whole other sort of heaviness was the constant second-guessing she would have. Somedays, she wanted to be just friends, because she loved their friendship. Other days… She wasn’t sure. She tried not to let it bleed through to him, because she didn’t want to lead him on or scare him, but she was always suddenly thinking about him in a different light.

There was no way he had a girlfriend she didn’t know about, though. She knew Dick well and would be able to tell by the stupid grin on his face that he was also being supported by the pillars of love.

She knew Dick made a lot of new friends this year and she had too, but she never knew he exchanged Valentine’s with another girl. She internally bit down any newfound jealousy that bubbled up in her chest.

She briefly wondered if it was that blonde girl that he’d been showing around months before, the very same one that came to his birthday party with Bette. To her credit, she didn’t hang around Bette much after that. Babs speculated that Dick knew her through the new covert team he was starting with Wally West as well as some other sidekicks that were looking for more responsibility. She wanted to be on the team first, but Batman insisted she work with him a for at least a full year before she had the  _chance_  to join up.

In the meantime, Dick didn’t talk much about the team outside of dumb stuff Wally did to make him laugh or how he wasn’t really hanging out with Roy anymore (translation: Roy did  _not_  want to be a sidekick anymore). He occasionally mentioned relationship drama, which included a girl named Zatanna, who everyone liked. She had a feeling this meant he liked her too.

She had half a mind to ask, but it hurt her that she had to, so she didn’t. Why wouldn’t he tell her about it or who it was for? She told him about every crush she had and likewise. Then again, she hadn’t told him about these conflicting feelings she had for him, but why bother? It would only make life messier than it needed to be and they had the team to think about. Their friendship was bigger than them.

She loved being Batgirl more than she thought she was ready to love anything, but it was a powerful thing, making a difference. She didn’t even have to do it alone. She got to have her best friend and his grumpy adoptive father with her and his butler in her ear.

So, she’d agonized over what to put on his card. Her friends teased her for still doing this tradition with him, but she couldn’t explain why it meant something to her.

_Dick,_

_Sometimes I wonder why people are so obsessed with love,_

_Because for some reason I foolishly think I can’t relate._

_However, the reason I don’t require or seek out a boyfriend,_

_Is because I have you._

_Your friend,_

_Babs_ ♥

She wondered if he contemplated the heart like she had.

He did.


	5. Let Her Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 15 & 16 temporarily ends a 4 year tradition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Let Her Go" by Passenger

_“Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_  
Only hate the road when you're missing home  
Only know you love her when you let her go  
And you let her go”

 

His involvement in the team sucked up a lot of his time, even got in the way of school since it felt like they were constantly trying to stop the world from burning when the Justice League had their back turned. It surely didn’t make Dick anticipate being a part of it like he used to. Still, he was doing good work and he’d made solid friends with the team members.

Coming back to school after a long period of straight mission work was still somehow a relief. He knew that shouldn’t be the case, but it was his form of reality that he got to live. Lives weren’t depending on his actions at school. He did great with the actual schoolwork, but always had a hard time sitting still in class. All he really had to do in school was just be a kid.

And there was no one he’d rather come back to than Barbara Gordon.

He and Babs didn’t see each other nearly as much as either would have liked and when they did, it was either at school or the times he was called to patrol with Batman and do the usual “Dynamic Duo” shtick. He missed her and was ecstatic that she was approved to join the team. Bruce had been wrong about her in that she could not only handle herself, but excelled at detective work and their process. She would make an exceptional leader of her own team some day.

While they didn’t hang out and watch movies or go to the park like they used to, it was like they didn’t need to because they were so in sync. Of course, it helped that Dick was in the upper level with her again, which meant the usual rumors surrounding their relationship were in full bloom up until Dick came into school that Valentine’s Day.

Naturally, he remembered the card. Especially after everything that happened in learning that the Roy he thought he knew wasn’t actually Roy, he realized he really had to appreciate the constants in his life. He’d faced enough near-death experiences by now to understand that life was worth grabbing by the reigns. He knew that while it would be risky, he had to try with Babs.

He still held the red card he chickened on giving her the year before, intending on giving it to her and laying it all out there. While he definitely had potential feelings for Zatanna, another member on the team, he wouldn’t feel right by pursuing anything with her before knowing for sure with Barbara.

She came running at him, polished black shoes catching a glint of luminescent lighting that was exclusive to school hallways. Her tie swished back and forth and he swore if he didn’t have complete and utter admiration for her capabilities and skillsets, he would have been worried she wouldn’t have the coordination to stop herself from running into him and falling. Instead, she jumped on her toes to envelope him in a binding squeeze that took his breath away for more than one reason.

When she pulled back, both were smiling so wide their faces looked like they were going to split and everyone in the hallway suddenly seemed very interested in them. Luckily for both of them, kids had mostly grown up and their childish nicknames no longer held much water. Now, they were silently rooted for by almost everyone in the school if not already assumed to be dating.

“Somebody is happy to see me.” He was elated to see her too. She was beautiful, yes, but there was something in her energy, her idealism, but not without her skepticism. It didn’t seem like she tried to be anything other than herself for as long as he knew her, and that was exactly how he liked her.

“Well yeah, you lived.” She smiled. “I was going to stop by the manor and see you when you got back from your “trip”, but I had a huge term paper and something else came up too.”

“Are you all right? You’re shaking. Did you OD on caffeine again?”

“Probably.” She shrugged. “There are only so many hours in the day, but that’s not what this is.”

“Is it a Valentine’s Day thing?” God, maybe the stars were aligning and he wouldn’t even have to feel like he was staking his heart on the line in front of one of the most important people to him.

“Kind of.” She smirked. “But first, cards.”

“Cards.” He nodded, getting a bit nervous. “You go first.”

“Gladly.” She handed him a envelope and as every year, he eagerly opened it.

“I know you really need it, but you know there’s never going to be money in there, right?”

He rolled his eyes and slipped the card out and smiled at a pencil and eraser working together as a unit on the front. Still, he was always most interested in the handwritten portion and had been since they first started doing this. It was a personal touch to their relationship for two people that weren’t always upfront with their feelings about each other.

_Dick,_

_I hope you’re alive as I write this and even more so to read it,_

_But I can’t wait to be out there with you,_

_Because while doing all of this hero stuff is rewarding in its own right,_

_Doing it with you is the cherry on top._

_Happy Valentine’s Day (I’ll try to convince Zee to give you a kiss)_ _J_

_~Babs_ ♥

He falters after reading it, which she takes as a bad sign, and feels immediately guilty. Oh God, what if he didn’t like Zatanna anymore or something happened during their mission. At first, Babs was admittedly a little jealous about the whole situation. She reasoned that had more to do with her getting to work with him alongside other team members, which sounded like an organization Babs would excel in.

It would be silly to trip up on schoolgirl feelings for her best friend, because best friends always outlasted boyfriends or girlfriends (or at least they were supposed to) and she would rather have Dick in the current capacity and still have him as one of the most important people in her life, and never lose him.

Now that she was becoming part of the team, it was an added benefit that she got to protect him there too, even if he was a more than skilled fighter. Seeing him in action was a whole other thing altogether and certainly didn’t do anything for trying to tamper rising insensible feelings.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, paranoia evident in her voice.

He quickly recovered. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about how you and Zee became friends.”

She rolled her eyes. “Girls talk, Dick. Artemis and her are close and now me and Artemis are close so this is the way it happens. We’re fighting for the same team anyway soon, you know.”

“True.” Though she knew this wasn’t what he was thinking. He usually blushed when he talked about Zatanna and she enjoyed poking and prodding him for information about it, determined to know more about this girl. She was literally magical, though, so Dick didn’t have much to worry about in the sparks department.

“There’s something else-“ She began to say before an arm was slung around her shoulder.

“Is this my cue?” The voice of Jason Bard supplied with his usual smirk before kissing her on the cheek.

Dick was a smart guy and did not take long to realize what was happening here. He’d been away for a little while, which she insisted (to herself) that it had nothing to do with her falling into Jason, but he did miss the entire build up to their relationship. As for how it happened, Jason Bard was an incredibly handsome and quick-witted intern at the law firm nearby the station. He’d been helping his boss do some paperwork and she remembered him from school (thank you, perfect memory) and it wasn’t long before they hit it off.

Dick was trying to look incredibly unfazed by this newfound information, but she could see the cracks in his performance. She’d gone over this a thousand times in her head, unsure how to break the news to him and silently hoped he’d plucked up the courage to date Zatanna so they could both have news. Still, she didn’t voice her fears to Jason either, because no one was supposed to care this much about another guy’s opinion of her first boyfriend.

She knew how Dick worked and her showing up with a different guy, who was taller, handsome, and 2 years older on Valentine’s Day no less. However, it was impossible to avoid since of all days he had to return, it was Valentine’s Day. She eventually settled that ripping the bandage was the best tactic.

Still, she slid Jason’s arm off her shoulder as casually as could, making it seem she was going for her locker, but both guys noticed the change in the air of the room. Hell, it looked like they were sizing each other up.

“I actually… Actually this is great, because I accidentally forgot yours.” Dick said after a long pause. “I’m sure he’s got it covered, anyway.”

Barbara had to fight a gasp, because this was blasphemous. This was their fifth year continuing this tradition and she hated how everything had changed already. She didn’t want this to change either. She opened her mouth to articulate just how she felt about this and considered throwing him through a locker. Now that she had a new boyfriend, he was going to make it weird? She knew there was some unresolved romantic tension between them as many male/female friendships experienced from time to time, but that didn’t mean she owed him anything.

When she turned to get mad, she didn’t see spitefulness or bitterness like she expected, even though both reactions would have been out of character for Dick and she knew it. Instead, she saw what was to the regular eye, a very passive face, but she could see the hurt in his eyes. In spite of that, he was plastering a smile on his face.

“Thanks for this, though.” He gestured to the card and nodded at Jason. “It was nice to meet you.”

“Same.” Jason was oblivious to the mental work that just took place and stood to wait for Babs as she got ready for class. Dick walked away, a forced kick in his step and his head held high.

Despite how much she didn’t want it to, it broke her heart.


	6. Renegades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 16 & 17 causes them to grow and mature with other people, which occasionally makes them feel like they're slipping away from each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Renegades" by X Ambassadors

_“Run away with me_  
Lost souls and reverie  
Running wild and running free  
Two kids, you and me”

It doesn’t feel right for either of them to give each other valentines despite the tradition superseding any romantic undertones that arrived much later. Barbara still had Jason and Dick was equally happy with Zatanna, who he started dating shortly after the previous Valentine’s Day, taking the interaction he had with Babs to be the ultimate sign that it was not meant to be and he was free to explore whatever other opportunities presented themselves. He’d been hardcore crushing on Zatanna since he met her and the feelings had obviously been reciprocated, so it only made sense he try and be with her. They were a good couple and maneuvered out the haphazard steps of dating and working together well enough.

Barbara on the other hand, had to balance her superhero life with civilian almost down to the second. She felt guilt any time she had to flake on him, but he never seemed to mind, deeming she was worth it.

It was a year of firsts for both of them with their respective partners: dates, “I love you’s”, sex… It was a whirlwind.

They certainly weren’t as open with each other as they used to be, a slightly awkward air between them when either of their significant others came up. Barbara wasn’t into PDA and Jason graduated high school by this point, so Dick didn’t have to witness them together too much. However, it seemed Zatanna and Dick had their hands on each other at every “appropriate” (she felt this was a loose term) chance they got. That is, as long as they weren’t working in that moment, they were making out. Dick seemed to be walking on air when he was around her and not require it when they spent what seemed like hours making out. If they weren’t making out, they were always touching in some way.  

Everyone else was pretty grossed out by it too, so she didn’t think she was being irrational. Their honeymoon phase lasted far too long for her liking. She was happy for them. Zee was great a friend of hers now too. It helped being around the team as weird as it sounded, because she could distract herself from it with work.

Barbara once jokingly remarked to Artemis that she thought he was bewitched.

While they didn’t talk as much as they used to, they still shared more to each other than they did to others, when it came to the stuff that mattered anyway. She no longer cared that Zatanna knew about what was Dick’s favorite shirt before she did. It was stupid and really, he had terrible tastes in clothes anyway, so it  _really_  didn’t matter. They still spent his birthday together like they had since they first became friends, except they did superhero stuff together.

On Valentine’s Day, they were both torn away from dates (or whatever caused Dick’s hair to be standing in all directions) to assist Batman and the new kid, Jason Todd, on patrol. Jason Todd was Bruce’s newest prodigy and adopted son, which Barbara knew Dick was excited to have a younger sibling, someone to mentor, because it was something he’d talked about ever since she first found out he was Robin.

When things slowed down, they found a roof they both liked and made themselves as comfortable as you could in February in 7 degree weather.

Dick handed her a coffee he’d gotten from below. He loved getting reactions from people when they saw him spring into action. He blew on his and situated himself beside her as they looked out at their city.

She noticed there was red writing on her cup and moved her thumb to read it.

_Happy Valentine’s Day Fat-Girl_

She smacked his arm as laughter echoed into the late night and while she was annoyed at the implication, she couldn’t help but feel familiar delight at hearing him laugh so uninhibitedly. She couldn’t remember the last time she heard him do that. The team had been running him ragged and between that, school, and his relationship with Zatanna, she barely ever saw him sans for school.

“Hey, take it up with the comedian barista, not me!” He poked her in the ribs as he had many times before, knowing good and well that she was all muscle and scars beneath her black and yellow suit.

“A likely story, Boy Wonder.”

“Hm.”

She sipped her scalding hot coffee, but didn’t flinch.  “What’s up?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged.

“Well, that’s just not true.”

“All right, you got me. I guess… I keep thinking about how Jason wants to be involved in all of this. Its kind of dangerous for a kid, right? I mean, he’s 11.”

“You’re kidding right? Do you hear the hypocrisy in your voice or does Zatanna really have mind-warping powers?”

He sighed. “Yeah, I hear it. That doesn’t make it any less true, right? I mean, we’re high schoolers and we’ve seen more death and destruction than a lot of grown soldiers, Babs.”

“A lot of soldiers are kids too.”

“True.” He conceded. “But I’m worried about him.”

“Do you want to know what I think?”

“Always.” He smiled, because it was true.

“I think you know its time you trade in your tights for the next step and you were too afraid to say it out loud, because you invented Robin, so you wanted me, notoriously a know-it-all, to spell it out for you.”

He laughed again. She did know him damn well that it scared even him sometimes. Batman would just stare at them as they communicated without exchanging much conversation. That was what sucked about relationships. He loved Zatanna and what they had and deep down, he was happy for Babs having Jason Bard to go back to as well (even though he really didn’t love seeing them together), but he wished he could spend more time with friends that wasn’t work-related.

“You’re right.” He nodded after calming down. “I’m thinking the traffic light colors need to be passed to a younger protégé and you looked far too good in your cape and cowl. So it has to be Jason.”

She scoffed. “As if I’d ever want to be Robin.”

“Ouch!”

She smiled and looked out. “So what are you thinking? I know you’re thinking something. I can practically hear the gears going.”

“Superman talked to me a few weeks ago about this Kryptonian legend named “Nightwing”. I think that could maybe work.”

“Nightwing? Sounds sexy.” She teased.

“Sexier than Robin.”

“Can’t argue with that.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. “So, Nightwing, are you thinking of going out on your own and all that jazz?”

“After I graduate, I’m moving out of the manor.” He decided. “That’s for damn sure. I can’t tell you how awkward it is when I bring Zatanna over there.”

“I bet.”

“How’s Jim about… What’s his name?”

“It’s literally your brother’s name.” She shook her head.

“Judas?”

“Yep, that’s it. Definitely. And really bad, for Jason, that is. He trusts me though.”

“Well, how can’t he? You’re Fat-Girl!”

She pushed him off the roof and they chased each other like they were children again. This time, when she caught up with him, she wasn’t able to lift him with ease like she had when they were kids. Instead, Dick used his new height and weight advantage to turn the tables and lift her with ease.

It took the both of them back as their laughter disappeared into the night, even Dick, who held her like she was his bride and he was crossing a threshold, only he was in bright red and she was dressed like a bat with go-go boots.

There was a stillness in the air between them, which contradicted the wind that howled around them thanks to being high up on one of the grandest skyscrapers in Gotham. They hadn’t been this close in personal proximity since his 14th birthday party when she kissed him and both had a flush of memories wash over them. Her arms draped loosely over his shoulders as she depended all of her weight on him.

It shouldn’t have shocked either of them since they’d sparred and practiced various lifting maneuvers several times, but there was something eerily intimate about this and neither could bring themselves to move.

“Would you look at that?” He spoke first, naturally, but he seemed breathless all the same and was thankful he was wearing a domino mask to disguise the way he looked at her.

She, on the other hand, had to be much more careful not to let her green eyes convey the pounding realization that this felt a little too right for them.

“I guess you can pat me on the head now.” She returned.

“I guess so.”

“I miss you.” She finally says, because it needed to be said. She didn’t have valentines or chocolate for him like she did when she was 12, but she had honesty and fears that needed to be addressed somehow. She loved Jason Bard and was happy with her relationship, but they needed to get better at finding balance so they could still have each other. The entire point of her avoiding being in a relationship with him in the first place, aside from the fact that neither were ready for it, was that she didn’t want to lose him. Now, it felt like that was happening anyway whether it be to the way he became more like Batman by the day or to their respective relationships.

“I miss you too.” And he wholeheartedly agreed. He knew they made the right call in not pushing the envelope of their relationship, but that didn’t mean he didn’t need her in his life. He called her his constant and that remained true to this day. She and Wally were his best friends and he didn’t know what he would do with either of them.

“Don’t let go.” She smirked, trying to add levity, but he shook his head gravely.

“Never.”


	7. Fix You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 17 & 18 is a tough year, but they get through it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Fix You" by Coldplay

_“When the tears come streaming down your face_  
When you lose something you can't replace  
When you love someone but it goes to waste  
Could it be worse?”

The year Jason Todd was brutally murdered at the hands of the Joker was one of the hardest years of their lives. Aside from losing who was essentially a brother and a teammate to one of their most (if not their most) vile foes, they had to deal with the guilt and PTSD of actually being there for when it happened, for discovering his remains.

Dick, somehow, took it the hardest, even harder than Bruce, which meant a lot. 

He died the week before Valentine’s Day and Dick swore he could hear his aimless chatter about how he knew a girl who he wanted to give a valentine to. He was excited for his middle school dance and that he didn’t have to go to the “stuffy” Gotham Academy like Dick and Barbara, but both knew it wouldn’t have fit him anyway. 

Joker murdered him with a tire iron. Coroner said it was probably incredibly painful, which was a thought that likely should have remained inside his mind instead of breaking the family anymore. 

He was 12. 

Barbara blamed herself to some extent, but not nearly the way Dick or Bruce did. She hated watching them suffer, but couldn’t offer much in the means of comfort. The only thing she could offer was her presence and support, which she briefly wondered who was going to do that for her since she could barely get herself out of bed, let alone pretend to her father that a cute little boy with curly hair and cursed too much just died on her watch. 

After the funeral, Bruce was somewhere wallowing as Batman, to which Barbara decided to leave up to Wonder Woman or Alfred to handle. 

She found Dick at Mount Justice, staring at the new hologram that glowed in remembrance of Jason. He’d just met team criteria, after all, even though he’d only been on about 3 missions. She needed to make sure that he had someone, even if it was his new girlfriend, Raquel. 

He and Zatanna’s passionate relationship translated into one where they passionately fought. If she thought their incessant PDA was annoying, their fighting was even worse. It was passive aggressive whilst also being aggressive at the same time. She never knew people could fight like that and still go to bed happy. What they fought about, she was unsure of. She did know the fallout was more of an exasperated agreement, though, and that somehow the two managed to be pretty decent friends after it all. 

He and Babs actually ended up going to prom together instead. 

She wasn’t sure how long Raquel was going to last as Dick’s girlfriend either, despite the fact that the relationship was new. She didn’t even know his secret identity. According to him, they just had sex with his Nightwing mask on. She thought that was stupid and laughed about it for longer than she probably should have. 

She took the seat next to him and slid him a card.

His mouth twitched as he saw it on the table.

“I thought we stopped doing this.” 

“You stopped doing it, jerk.” She teased lightly, even though it didn’t really bother her anymore. “Besides, I think if there was ever a time to resurrect some type of happiness, I think now is that time.” 

He nodded and opened the card.

 

_Dick,_

_I’m sorry the world sucks right now. I know that in times of grief,_

_It’s natural to want to be alone and if that’s what you need I respect that,_

_But I need you to know that I would sit awake with you for hours and roam around the city,_

_Just like we said we would._

_On or off the field, I’ve got your back._

_And I know that through all of this hell,_

_We’re going to honor him._

_Love,_

_Babs_

Dick didn’t cry often. He wasn’t the kind of guy to suppress it or hold in his anguish, but he never felt it flow out of him the way it had when his parents died until just now. And it wasn’t even just this. It was a whole combination of things. He felt like the world was slipping away from him and was just beginning to feel like this life was too difficult for him.

But as Babs cradled his face as he sobbed into her new gray Batgirl suit, he didn’t feel alone. There was no mistaking her own grief, but she was more likely to internalize her feelings between the two of them and reach out for others instead. It was how she grieved, if it made sense, by being productive. 

He clutched her like a lifeline he would never release. His chest feels a little lighter by how close he held her. While she was notoriously the more observant one between them, he couldn’t miss the soft kisses she pressed to his unruly hair as a means of comfort to the both of them.


	8. Hanging by a Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 18 & 19 leads them to explore uncharted territory for their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse
> 
> This is where the *slight* jump in rating happens, but again, it's really not anything major.

_“Forgetting all I'm lacking_   
_Completely incomplete_   
_I'll take your invitation_   
_You take all of me”_

 

They started having sex not long after he turned 18 after his train wreck of a relationship with Raquel and some lame attempts at trying to date non-superhero women. Needless to say, they didn’t go well. She didn’t have much room to judge, since she didn’t exactly fair well with her dates either since Jason Bard. She still teased him for sleeping with every girl that was remotely nice to him. 

Dick Grayson had gotten exceptional at the art of flirtation over the years. She knew this to be true based on observing him around others and while also interacting with him. They had a banter that was obvious to the rest of the team. Even though she graduated already, the eyes and whispers about them felt distinctly like high school again. Zatanna was all for it while Raquel found new love in Mal Duncan. One thing about supers, they moved fast. 

Artemis sort of pitied her, because a similar discourse happened when she and Wally had their back and forth, only Dick and Barbara’s relationship extended well beyond the scope of when they were teammates.

That year, the flirting and tension between them only piled up until it met its maximum capacity, which she was unsure that was even possible. They’d been sparring, alone, challenging each other both verbally and physically. Their dance was unlike any others, because they were as close to equally matched as two people could be. 

Somehow, they drifted into the unsafe territory of dates and she claimed it was all Dick’s fault for making fun of the way her last date kissed her (the date was so bad she pretended she lived at Dick’s place in Bludhaven in case the guy ended up being a Reach operative- so Dick saw the whole thing unfold).

 _“Is that how you’ve been kissed this entire time?”_  He teased, clearly satisfied with this weird idea that she’d never been properly kissed, which was untrue.

 _“Yep. I’ve never had a good kiss.”_  She lied to annoy him, because he was one of those kisses, even if it was long ago.

He huffed annoyed at that and they sparred in silence for a little while, before he had her in a hold that locked her to his well-defined chest, pressing every inch of her sweaty body against his. Naturally, he wasn’t wearing a shirt and why should he? After becoming Nightwing and being blessed by the post-pubescent Gods, he’d become buff without losing his lean frame. His abs were occasionally distracting. 

That was one of those occasions. 

His hair pressed to his forehead while he looked down at her, the familiar smirk of victory on his lips accompanied with an unmistakable hunger in his blue eyes, which to his credit, never lost the hope or kindness that she initially took notice of. Of course, when he licked his lips almost obscenely and used those eyes to look down at her own gaped mouth, they certainly didn’t seem nearly as innocent. 

He’d become incredibly handsome over the past couple of years. He’d always been cute to her, but now that he was tall, tan, muscular, and fully grown into the ears he once strived to cover, he was gorgeous. She was comfortable in admitting that (never to him), because facts were facts. Dick Grayson was one of Gotham’s most eligible bachelors. 

In a weak attempt to try and cool down the situation, one that he saw through immediately, she moved to try and ask about a different sparring exercise that he knew she already mastered. He took the hand she’d raised and pulled her in for a searing kiss that she made zero efforts of stopping or ceasing. Her fingers carded through his hair, which she usually teased for how much maintenance he obviously put into it to make it seem “effortless”, but in that moment, she appreciated the results. His tongue pushed into her mouth and tangled with hers and despite herself, she gasped. This was nothing like the kiss they had when she was 15. 

Before separating completely, he placed a single chaste kiss on her stunned mouth before backing up and looking at her, vulnerability now showing on full display.

 _“Tell that guy_ _that’s how you kiss someone.”_  His voice was soft and low and sent warmth to her stomach. He seemed pretty proud of that closing remark and intended to actually leave her with that nugget of thought before disappearing into the showers or something. 

She grabbed him by the arm and spun him around when he tried to turn to leave and invaded his personal space once again. Her hot breath brushed against his in a way that drove him absolutely crazed. All sensible thoughts were gone. 

 _“Let’s not and say we did.”_ Boy, was she proud of herself for getting the last word on that one.

And the dam was broken. So, regardless of consequences that they’d been dodging for years, they proceeded to have sex on the training mats, rough and fast, like a single round of wrestling. And in the showers, her hiked up against the cold tiles while her legs wrapped around his waist. And in his bunk that he never used, but was suddenly eternally grateful for. Both were grateful that no one else was present, despite the fact that anyone else existing seemed like a far off thought as they got lost in each other. Barbara had to wipe the footage later and replace it with more of them sparring. 

They'd done it numerous times since, too, every surface seeming like fair game if the moment struck. It would have been one thing if things were awkward between them, but if anything, they were better friends and teammates than usual. Instead of bottling their anxieties and tension, they just fucked each other senseless.

When Valentine’s Day rolled about, both were utterly confused and nervous again. It had been a while since they were in this position with each other, before having another significant other to hide behind. Now, they were not only just best friends with feelings for each other, but they were also now best friends that had slept together… A lot.

Dick knew he loved her. He’d had plenty of great sex during his young sexual time period, but there was something about the way they connected in a way he believed only they could. It had been years of sexual and romantic tension that was poured into the first time. The second time was less rushed, but definitely primal and territorial on both of their ends. The final time was slow and tender, mastering everything they’d learned about each other. He relished in the idea of knowing every square inch of her, because the image of seeing her in that state would never disappear from his memory.

He landed on the idea of getting her a card and roses, since he hadn’t in so long and it was actually a tradition he really enjoyed doing. 

Both wondered if things would get weird between them, but it didn’t. They didn’t always have sex when they hung out recently, whether it be to deal with night business or to occasionally try and make normal time for themselves, but she slept over a lot. His place in Bludhaven was no Wayne Manor, but it was definitely more comfortable to fool around in than with Alfred Pennyworth scoping the halls constantly.

It lacked style, but that seemed appropriate for Dick, who was very lucky he was beautiful enough to pull off some of the stuff he experimented with. 

“Look at you, Hunk Wonder.” She mused as she took the note off of the flowers. “I give you a little dessert and I get an upgrade to flowers.” 

“Yeah, well, I guess since we’ve sort of upgraded a little bit, it was time the exchange did too.”

She smiled and it was the kind that made his heart flutter, because she smiled with her entire face. It was genuine, warm, and not common in the cold world they were fighting in, but he loved when he could make it happen. 

“Read it.” He urged.

 

_Dear Babs,_

_It’s been a few years since I’ve written one of these,_

_Being that I’m an idiot,_

_But I’m honestly just shocked you like me at all sometimes._

_You are still the most awesome person I have ever met,_

_And officially the best I’ve ever had._

_I hope this doesn’t make it weird,_

_But by now you’ve got to know that I love you._

_Happy Valentine’s Day._

_Love,_

_Dick_

“So?” He shuffled awkwardly. 

“Read mine.” She smiled.

 

_Dear Dick,_

_You were right,_

_I’ve never quite been kissed like that before._

_Then again, I’ve never felt a lot of things the way I feel them with you._

_I’m not sure what we are or where we’re going,_

_But I hope we do it together._

_I mean that in every sense of the phrase by the way._

_Love,_

_Babs_ ♥

He placed down the note on the counter, making a mental reminder to save that forever, because surely it would be something he’d want to revisit as the moment his life changed for the better. He stepped before her like gravitational pull and wrapped his arms around her waist. None of it was strange or foreign. She was soft, but had strong muscle beneath the sweater and leggings she wore. One hand drifted to the long, soft, red mane that always captivated him and then back to stroking her face. 

She didn’t say she loved him back, but he knew how to read her looks by now and the look she was giving him with those calculating green eyes was one for the books. If he thought he had it good in that closet at age 14, he hit the lottery now. 

“I’m glad we’re doing the card thing again.” He said as his nose brush against her.

She looped her arms around his neck. “I am too, but you know, we do have some to make up for.”

“How do you propose we do that?” He placed a kiss on her nose and she smiled and leaned up to take his lips in hers.

“I have a few ideas.”


	9. Say Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 19 and 20 should have been spectacular for them, but they couldn't be farther apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Say Something" by A Great Big World

_"Say something, I'm giving up on you_   
_I'll be the one, if you want me to_   
_Anywhere, I would've followed you_   
_Say something, I'm giving up on you"_

After Wally disappeared, Dick stumbled into a depression even Babs couldn't pull him out of. They still hadn't been dating, not officially, because she didn't think he was fully ready to be with her and only her (not that he would ever cheat on her, but she didn't want to hold him down), but they were still "seeing each other". When the Invasion happened, she'd finally told him she loved him and while it was a broken and bleak moment for everyone, that hope that always burned bright in his eyes remained. 

Still, the fallout was too much for Dick to handle. He'd been guilt ridden and she was naturally infuriated he kept so many secrets from her. It felt like the world was shattering all around them and they weren't strong enough this time. That's what killed her. After everything they'd been through, they weren't strong enough this time. They had so very far to go and it was dawning on her how young they really were.

The night before he ran away, they slept together. Well, not in the full meaning of the word, but they shared the same bed. For as mad at him as she was, she felt like she needed to be near him. Artemis was going through a fate worse than death by losing Wally the way she did, by the way he vanished before their eyes. Babs didn't know if her relationship with Dick was comparable in the moment, but she couldn't help but feel a stab at her chest at the thought of losing him that way too. They'd always been so afraid of losing each other, but they still never really ceased the moment in the way they should have. 

So they held each other that night. Dick was staring straight at the ceiling and absently running his fingers through her long tendrils. Neither cried, even though after everything they had the right to. All that could be heard was the soft humming of his ceiling fan and gentle breathing. 

"I'm leaving tomorrow. You're taking over the team." The second part, she'd been told, and the first part didn't really surprise her.

She wanted to ask where that left them, but she didn't really want to know either. She couldn't take another hit right now.

"I figured." She said softly. "Where will you go?"

He seemed surprised by this response. "You aren't going to try and stop me?"

"Bruce did something similar not long after his parents died, didn't he? Before he became Batman."

She knew those words would hurt him, but she said them anyway, because they were true. She wasn't in the business of pulling punches with him, even if he'd been lying to her for months about Aqualad, Artemis, all of it. She understood the reasoning and logic, because she'd also been trained by Bruce. That part of her respected his decision as team leader, but the personal side, the part where she assumed they told each other everything, that part was damaged and she wondered if it was beyond repair. They were certainly occupying the same space right now, but they felt far apart.

"It's like soul searching." She moved on. "I get it, Dick. You need space from all of this and maybe even me-"

"-It's not you." He interjected.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I've heard the cliches before, Man Wonder. What I'm saying is... I know why you need to do this. You feel like you've lost yourself and you need to find what you've lost or make something new."

He was silent again before finally speaking in a much smaller voice. "I don't want to leave you."

 _So don't_.

But he would. His mind was made up and she supposed she was lucky he afforded her the courtesy of telling her, since he was planning on just dropping out on everyone else. 

She leaned up and looked him in the eyes. He cried when he told her about the lies he'd told. He said they tore him apart, maybe even worse than Jason's death had. He said he felt like everything he did became ashes and now it seemed he was finishing off his tangent of destruction by ruining the most important relationships he had in his life. She yelled at him and told him she was pissed, but she knew she would eventually forgive his discretion. He believed he was saving the world and in doing that, he had to make sacrifices. Unlike their mentor, the results of lying didn't settle well with Dick and that was a good sign to her that he would come back.

"You'll do great with the team." He assured her or maybe himself. "You're the right person for the job."

"I know."

After another moment of lasting looks in the shrouded darkness of his apartment, she bent down and kissed him, knowing in her gut that it was a kiss goodbye, if not for now, then possibly forever.

"Just be safe."

She knew she would cry when she woke up and he wouldn't be there, but she didn't expect a note for her tears to land on.

_Babs,_

_I'm so so so sorry._

_I know you probably don't believe me,_

_But I love you._

_I'll come back._

_Love,_

_Dick_


	10. Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 24 & 25 they finally get it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran

_“I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets_  
To carry love, to carry children of our own  
We are still kids, but we're so in love  
Fighting against all odds  
I know we'll be alright this time”

 

They get married on Valentine’s Day, which Dick had always been a romantic so it made sense to everyone else. It wasn’t smooth sailing from the time they started hooking up to that moment. Wally’s disappearance sent Dick over the edge and the both of them apart for a while, even seeing other people. She was completely heartbroken over the whole ordeal and he was lost without any guiding constant in his life.

He found his way back home, back to her, and realized those two words had always been synonymous to each other. 

They stand before all of their family and friends, which happily includes Wally and Jason Todd, the now-returned former Robin. Nobody is doing perfect, but everyone is surviving and knows how much the couple deserves this. 

Instead of handing each other valentines as they had traditionally done, they used them as their vows. 

Barbara went first and was nervous to do so, but Dick flipped a coin and it landed on what he’d betted, so here they were. The wedding was a hassle to plan and had failed once thanks to an invasion that needed to be intercepted, but by chance it fell on Valentine’s Day. 

_My friend, My love, My dearest Boy Wonder,_

_I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t already been said by us a thousand times in the past to each other,_

_But I have loved you for over half of my life right now and I can honestly say that the parts with you in it are the best parts I know._

_It certainly makes me think that in spite of some questionable clothing choices,_

_I’m ready for the long haul._

_I know it has never been perfect and it likely never will be._

_I’m pretty sure neither of us are programmed for perfect despite how hard we push for it in ourselves._

_I’m hubristic and stubborn while you’re eccentric and brash,_

_But I wouldn’t have us any other way._

_I remember everything about my life with clear detail and every speck of color,_

_But I can’t see any of it with as much brightness and color as I do when I think about that moments we’ve shared._

_So that is what I hope to do for you forever,_

_To give your life as much brightness as you’ve given mine._

_All I can do is thank you for being there whenever I needed you,_

_For loving me when I didn’t make it easy,_

_For supporting me,_

_For being my date to the prom when I was stood up,_

_For always coming back,_

_For never letting go,_

_And most importantly,_

_Thank you for moving to Gotham Academy and becoming my best friend when I really needed one._

_Love forever and ever,_

_Babs_

 

Dick wiped his eyes, being the happy crier he was, before pulling a red envelope out from his jacket pocket, a knowing smile on his face. Somehow, she knew too.

“I actually wrote my vows when I was 14.” He chuckled. “I didn’t know they would become my vows, but that was when my stupid self realized I loved you. Neither of us were ready for this kind of thing then, but I’d say we are now.”

“Let’s here it then.” Her smiled was soft and encouraging and he thought for about the millionth time that day that there was no one on the space of the earth or beyond that was as stunning as Barbara Gordon was in this moment.

_Babs,_

_Do you remember a few years ago when we were playing dodgeball at recess and that kid knocked the glasses off your face and they broke on the pavement and I tried to make the kid apologize, but ended up getting my ass kicked?_

_Well, I just want you to know that moment was worth it._

_Do you recall when you gave me your sweatshirt when we were walking home in the rain since I had a cold?_

_I still have it and I’ve probably worn it a few times since._

_If you want it back just ask,_

_And I hope this doesn’t sound creepy,_

_But I just love being close to you in whatever capacity that means._

_Do you know how we share ice cream sundaes every time we go to that diner down the street from your apartment?_

_I purposely get ice cream on my face so you’ll wipe it off._

_I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’ve been friends for a while,_

_That I feel like we’re not just friends._

_We’re connected._

_And now that I have you in both of my worlds,_

_I need you to know that both are made because you’re in them._

_That sounds dramatic,_

_But I am floored by how I feel about you._

_I love you._

_The scariest part is I think I always will._

_Truly yours,_

_Dick_

She never saw herself as the kind of girl to cry at her wedding, but that was too late. 

“When did you write that?” 

“I wrote it in 8th grade along with the safe one I gave you, but I was going to give it to you in 9th grade before life got in the way.” 

“You didn’t forget.”

“Babs, I couldn’t forget.” He shook his head helplessly. “Ever.”

She lunged forward and kissed him even before the officiant even instructed them to do so.


End file.
